Whether you are having a common cold or you are just having a dry cough, you will always have a sore throat to go with these conditions. These ailments can lead to throat inflammation, especially at the back of the throat. The condition is called pharyngitis, as it affects the area between your tonsils and voice box. It could be the result of a bacterial or viral infection and is more common in children between 5 and 15 years of age. You usually need medical attention, but sometimes, home remedies can help to improve your condition.

Home Remedies for Pharyngitis

Characterized by large tonsils, pharyngitis can make it extremely difficult to swallow anything. The pain can be severe in some cases and even lead to speaking difficulties. Here are some home remedies to improve your condition.

1. Gargle with Salt Water

Salt water is always a great remedy because it contains antibacterial and antiseptic properties. All you have to do is mix 1/3 teaspoon of salt in a glass of lukewarm water and use it to gargle. Be sure to gargle for a few seconds and do not swallow the mixture. Avoid gagging loudly though or it may aggravate your symptoms.

2. Try Steam Inhalation

Steam inhalation helps treat pharyngitis because it keeps your throat moist and makes it easier to eliminate mucus from your airway passages. Just take a bowl of steaming hot water and add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to it. Now, cover your head with a towel, bend over the bowl, and take deep breaths. Do it a couple of times a day to get good results.

3. Enjoy Hot Water and Tea

Keeping your throat moist is important to deal with pharyngitis, and you can do it by drinking hot tea or hot water. Of course, it should not be too hot to damage your throat, but be warm enough to soothe your irritated throat. Drinking hot water and tea would reduce inflammation and alleviate pain as well. A good idea is to add ginger to boiling water and make a cup of ginger tea. It has antibacterial and antiviral properties, so works even better to relieve pain and inflammation caused by pharyngitis.

4. Try Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

Thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, apple cider vinegar is one of the best home remedies for pharyngitis. It also contains nutrients beneficial for your immune system. Simply take a glass of warm water and add a couple of tablespoons of ACV to it. Add some honey and mix well. Drink it slowly to reduce the pain and inflammation. Drink it twice a day for faster recovery.

5. Cayenne Pepper

It contains a compound called capsaicin, which has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. It also helps reduce any pain you may be experiencing due to the infection. Just take a glass of hot water and add one-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper to it. Take a tablespoon of lemon juice and add it to the mixture. Now, use it to gargle several times a day. You will notice some improvement in a few days.

6. Try Honey

Many studies have shown that honey is one of the best remedies for pharyngitis and other upper respiratory infections. In fact, it works better than many OTC medicines, and that is mainly because it has powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Take equal amounts of honey and apple cider vinegar. Mix well and take a tablespoon of it every four hours to relieve your pain.

7. Use Licorice Root

Used in alternative medicines for ages, licorice root may prove effective in the treatment of pharyngitis mainly because it helps improve your immune system. Take crushed licorice root and add a tablespoon of it to a cup of hot water. Let it steep for five minutes. Then, strain it and add a teaspoon of lemon juice to it. Drink it slowly once a day for pain relief.

8. Try Turmeric

Turmeric works great to treat your sore throat, mainly because of its potent antibacterial and antiviral properties. Simply add a few teaspoons of turmeric powder and some salt to a glass of hot water and drink it slowly. Drink it daily for relief. You can also replace water with milk to get better results.

9. Opt for Ginger

Quite like turmeric, ginger can also help clear viral or bacterial infections and improve recovery. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, so it reduces swelling caused by pharyngitis. Take a glass of hot water and add a few pieces of ginger to it. Let it boil for a few minutes and then strain it. Add some lemon juice to it and drink once a day to treat pharyngitis.

10. Make Use of Garlic

Garlic has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, making it an effective remedy for pharyngitis. Add a few garlic cloves to a cup of water and let it boil for a few minutes. Steep it for a few minutes and strain it. Now, drink slowly to relieve pain and inflammation.

When to See a Doctor

In most cases, home remedies for pharyngitis help relieve pain and treat other symptoms as well. However, you should see your doctor if homecare measures do not work or you have a fever higher than 101F. You should also seek medical attention if your sore throat makes it difficult to eat or drink anything or you have trouble sleeping at night. These symptoms usually indicate that you have a bacterial infection, which requires antibiotics. Your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic considering all your symptoms.

In some cases, tonsillectomy is the only option, which involves removing the tonsils through a surgical procedure. This usually happens when you have repeated episodes of pharyngitis or throat infections.